Editor:

I attended the county budget public hearing last week. Initially I was surprised by the lack of attendance but at the conclusion, indeed I felt my time foolishly spent.

I begin by making clear that I hold nothing but respect for the individuals comprising our county legislative body. They contribute many hours for a small stipend and are tasked with trying to minimize pain to taxpayers while abiding to the stipulation of state mandates. They literally have discretion of less than 10% of the annual budget. Hence my mood leaving the meeting.

These debilitating mandates have reached a point whereby counties must go without and continually raise tax rates and assessments to comply. At what point do the residents stand in unison and proclaim “Enough!”?

I implored the Legislative Body to seriously consider disavowing the mandates and accept the consequence of no state funds coming our way. I’m sure they were too polite to express what they likely thought of my query.

I submit, it is financially risky and fraught with litigation. That is the down side. These mandates are a carrot on a stick. We citizens are the donkey plodding along too simple to realize he will never gain on the reward.

NYS will not mobilize the National Guard. This is not civil disobedience. We are saying “no thank you” to their offer. I strongly believe the first Upstate county to express the required fortitude of this action will be quickly joined by neighboring counties facing the same plight. At some point critical mass is reached and the state is forced to negotiate. That is the up side.

I invite your ridicule or rebuttal. Please don’t however, tell me your plan to do nothing and hope our representation in Albany will miraculously swing in our favor eventually.

This dilemma will get worse. There is a valid scenario where NYC will not follow pending federal immigration mandates and will in turn be financially punished (such irony). Where do you suppose they (downstate) will look to fill their deficit?

Charles Hartway

Medina

Editor:

As America awaits the baton of power to pass from President Biden to Donald Trump, much turmoil is expected. Biden is dumping a significant financial burden into Trump’s lap. The federal debt is now $36 trillion. A $13 trillion increase since 2020 has bolstered concerns about the welfare of our country.

The Treasury debt is perilously saturated in short-term notes instead of 10- and 30-year bonds. Much of the short-term debt is maturing annually and ultimately will have to be refinanced at higher interests rates. This will adversely affect the government’s interest expenditure. Yellen has bulked up on 2-year Treasury bills to avoid a rise in mortgage rates.

The Strategic Petroleum Reserve has dwindled to dangerous levels; our weapons arsenal is substandard.

This latest smudge with Biden pardoning his son, Hunter, despite stating on multiple occasions that he would not intervene, has many people questioning what defines justice. Confidence has  plummeted precariously after that sideshow.

Taxpayer dollars have been wasted on losing undertakings: (case in point) education, where children learn to hate America, has sidestepped the rigors of reading, writing and math. How about Buttigieg’s push to construct charging stations for e- cars. The transportation security spent $7.5 billion on eight such spaces after citing $500,000 initially. These failures will undoubtedly impact both the economy and the general public.

It will be like entering a maze for Trump; he will have to prioritize and navigate which tangled knot to undo first.

The current state of affairs is riddled with some pretty spine chilling events, such as the approval of a military-focused budget for 2025-2027 by Putin. As Trump tries to disentangle from Ukraine, he simultaneously has to try and restore a viable equilibrium in the Middle East. Americans are apprehensive as the ongoing political turmoil and unpredictability  escalates.

The transition of power from Biden to Donald Trump will be a challenging and complicated road. When Biden became President in 2020, he purposely overturned many of Trump’s policies; noteworthy: reversing Trump’s travel ban policy and immigration enforcement and undocumented immigrants. We all know, too well, the aftermath of those deeds.  Personally, I believe his motive was revenge.

Now, once again, revenge is at work. Instead of repairing the damage he has already inflicted on  America, Biden is hell bent on causing more.

Mary Mager,

Fairport, formerly of Albion

Editor:

UConnectCare recently built a recovery center for women that allows children to live with their mothers during recovery on Butts Road in Albion.

I have always agreed with the need for the center and the thought behind it was 100% true. What was bad is the location of where they built that center. They built that center in a poor location, showing little regard for the land they were disturbing or how it was going to affect the area.

The contractors hired for the center showed little remorse for what they were doing to the neighbors of that center. They even went as far as pushing debris and other contents behind the center thru fencing and clearly posted signs onto people’s property without permission.

At the end of the previous school year the center had a paving crew for their driveway out there taking up most of the shoulders of both sides of the road. Two of my kids got home at 2:30 in the afternoon while they were out there paving. The bus driver told me he felt unsafe bringing my son and other daughter home which was an hour later due to how tied up the road was.

I had to email UConnectCare to tell them to clear out so they could  safely make it home.  To go back to the railroad underpass, it was just hit November 15th at 3 a.m., this time an ambulance tried to squeeze its way under it and got wedged underneath.  The road was shut down from roughly 3 a.m. until almost 5 a.m.

Even with the new signs you have numerous near misses of people turning around. Last week there were two accidents involving people tempting fate.

The center was finished July 5, with an open house was scheduled for Aug. 20.

Aug. 20 came and went like a gust of wind.

I have asked sources if they had any news on estimated opening. All I get told is they are waiting for final approval from the state to open.

A final approval from the state?

Meaning they did not have all their ducks in a row before starting construction and now a building that was constructed sits empty and is vacant?

The power has literally been on the building since July – 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Maybe it was just a terrible idea of building a huge center in the center of a designated wetland, when you can’t build a playground or have hiking trails due to the whole plot of land being under water once upon a time.

The best idea for this situation is they should cut their losses and move on.

Aaron Vosburgh

Albion

Editor:

We are all seeing yard signs popping up around the Towns of Albion and Gaines. What are these signs for? What is the Albion Joint Fire District?

I would like to put some clarity to the differences between the newly formed Albion Joint Fire District and the very old (1831 to be exact) Albion Fire Department, Inc.

Let’s begin with the Albion Fire Department, which is a volunteer /nonprofit organization that is incorporated under the 501(c)(3) tax category in the IRS Code.  It is an independent business really, that provides the firefighters/EMS personnel to cover both Albion and Gaines. These volunteers are dedicated to the community and are not paid for the job they do.

The Albion Joint Fire District (AJFD) was recently formed through a public vote, with the Village of Albion no longer the oversight agency of the taxpayer funds for fire service. In the past, funds were provided through contracts with Towns of Gaines/Albion to the Village of Albion.

Now the new AJFD is a separate organization with a separate budget – and the Albion Fire Department remains – 2 separate and distinct entities that operate independent of one another legally.  Even though these two organizations are separate, they will now work together to provide Fire/EMS personnel/services to the coverage area.

As for the signs popping up around town. There will be an election for commissioners (5) and a treasurer for the newly formed AJFD. That election will happen Dec. 10 at the Hoag Library from 4 to 9 p.m.

Registered voters in both towns will have the ability to vote for their choices for the five commissioners and the one treasurer needed for the AJFD.

As a dedicated member of our community and a candidate for the position of Treasurer for the AJFD, I am writing to express my commitment to ensuring financial responsibility and transparency in our local government. It is important that all taxpayers know how and where their dollars are being spent.

I feel strongly that we need to have oversight for the funds that the fire district is requesting and that the taxpayers will now be seeing as a line on their county tax bills coming in January 2025.  We need to make sure we follow all State and Federal rules and regulations to assure we don’t have any issues down the road.

I am running for Treasurer of the Fire District and am a current member of the Albion Fire Department. With a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, I feel I am well qualified to oversee the large budget that will be coming to this new organization.

It is your right as a registered voter to cast your ballot for the candidate(s) you feel most qualified for the positions. I know I am ready to serve the AJFD in the position of treasurer.

Please vote: December 10 at Hoag Library.

Sincerely,

Kristen Marciszewski

Gaines resident and candidate for Albion Joint Fire District treasurer

Editor:

In the past I have condemned Trump for pardoning convicted criminals. Now, we find Biden has pardoned his son. A black mark has now been entered into his presidency.

Read any history of former President Bill Clinton, and they all contain a reference to his disastrous pardon of Marc Rich, a fugitive from justice whose former spouse made donations to Clinton’s Presidential Center. A stain on Clinton’s record, and now one on Biden’s record.

Voters sometimes do not have good memories for political acts. Historians, on the other hand, make it their business to remember and then they write books about it.

Jack Capurso

Albion High School 1960

Ashburn, Va.

Editor:

The President-elect has stated that on “Day 1” he will begin massive deportation of undocumented people residing in the United States. This will have a major impact upon Orleans County, particularly agriculture, but more generally the entire economy of our county, because these 2,000 people buy products and services within the county from the wages that they earn. Grocery stores, general stores, auto services, churches and more would be affected.

I would point out that many of the people who are loosely considered “undocumented” are actually “documented” because they have official papers relating to their work or refugee status and have applied for asylum, green cards or citizenship.

The President-elect’s plans for deportation make little distinction between these categories. The farm workers I know are scared out of their wits. Many of them have worked in our area for decades, contributing to a robust agricultural sector, putting food on our tables, filling our churches, and sending their children to our schools.

There may be as many as 2,000 immigrant workers in Orleans County. Has the Orleans County Legislature considered the actual impact of the deportation order that is planned?  I hope it has, because “Day 1” is coming up very fast!

How will area farmers survive without workers? How will they be able to afford the wages that would make this kind of employment attractive to citizens who have shown little interest in this seasonal, hard, low-wage work?

If farms are to survive, the prices for their products will have to be much higher to wholesalers and consumers. Has the Legislature considered what will happen to the price of food if these deportations go forward?  “No farm workers = less food = higher prices” seems like a losing strategy for our county.

I wonder if deportation would push some farm operations over the edge, either by shutting down entirely, or by not planting some or all fields in the spring? Has the Legislature considered what it will do about this?

And who would lead or participate in a deportation effort in Orleans County? The Sherriff’s Department, the local courts, jails or school officials? What would be the cost to the county for this?

As a taxpayer I am shuddering to think of this cost to the county, almost immediately and in the long-run. This looks like an unfunded mandate, the kind of thing that the Legislature likes to pin on Democrats in Albany. Will my local tax bill now break out the cost of deportations in Orleans County?

As you can tell, I am very opposed to deportations on the scale that the President-elect has described. The impact that this will have on Orleans County and its taxpayers will be significant.

Is the Legislature planning for this? Are farmers thinking about this? Does anyone have a plan? “Day 1” is fast approaching!

Sincerely,

James R. Renfrew

Clarendon

Editor:

On Monday, November 11th, the 230th Commemoration of the 1794 Canandaigua Treaty was held at the Ontario County Courthouse in the city of Canandaigua.

Every year, this commemoration is held to “polish the chain of friendship, symbolizing the relationship between the (at the time) new United States of America and the Hodínöhšö:ni’ Confederacy,” a people of whom I am proud to be of.

This “chain” is held onto by both ends by both parties, and the responsibility of upholding this promise belongs to both. It was made to create a “firm and permanent friendship” between our Nations, and stands as a monumental agreement to this day, but the WNY STAMP mega industrial site represents a violation of this agreement and an erasure of this treaty.

The Science, Technology, and Advanced Manufacturing Park in Genesee County is an economic development zone which promises to bring high-tech manufacturing to Western New York. As of this writing, there are two tenants: Plug Power, and Edwards Vacuum.

This site is being built on our reservation border with only a 400’ buffer between it, and that place we call the “Big Woods.” The site poses runoff, explosive, noise and light pollution risks to our territory. Should any spills occur, we are close enough that contaminants could find their way into our wells and eventually, our people.

I’ve enjoyed the life of a Tonawanda Seneca citizen on the Tonawanda Seneca Territory. I’ve lived here all my life, learning our traditions, enjoying our customs and usage as did many who’ve grown here. I’ve spent time with my father gathering medicines in an area we call the “Big Woods.” Others hunt, source what they need for their craft there, and they’ll come from nearby territories.

We are very protective of these woods and our lands but share it with the rest of the Hodínöhšö:ni’. We’re a small community, but we’re among those fortunate enough to have kept our original Chief system under the Great Law of Peace alive with no other systems imposed upon us from American interference. In the Great Law, it is one of the duties of our leaders to make decisions thinking of faces not yet seen. However now, there is a fear of what might be brought by the STAMP site.

The Canandaigua Treaty ensures that the Hodínöhšö:ni’ remain sovereign and ensures “free use and enjoyment” of our lands. Last I had known, it’s enshrined in the U.S. Constitution that “all treaties are the supreme law of the land.”

There is no distinction between types of treaties or nations. If they would not be so quick to break the Treaty of Paris, or the Treaty of Versailles, then why would it be acceptable to break the Treaty of Canandaigua. Our leadership, and our people, call upon the Federal and State Organizations to respect the Tonawanda Seneca Nation’s right to thorough consultation, to engage in Nation-to-Nation conduct, and to hold up their end of the chain.

Grandell Logan

Basom

Editor:

President-elect Donald Trump and his Republican accomplices relentlessly attacked the rule of law, a basic foundation of our Constitutional democracy.

Mr. Trump argued, without any evidence, that the justice system is already politicized because of all the criminal charges brought against him, and his conviction on 34 felony counts. In fact, the Justice Department indicted at least seven Democrats, including President Biden’s son. If the Justice Department were politicized, as Mr. Trump claims, none of these prosecutions would have occurred. In fact, the Justice Department went after these people, including Mr. Trump, because they had evidence of criminal activity sufficient to present in a court of law.

Going after political enemies without evidence, only because they are perceived as opponents, would politicize and e the Department of Justice.  Doing so would undermine the rule of law and our Constitutional Democracy.

Mr. Trump nominated Matt Gaetz as Attorney General, despite the fact that Gaetz’ only qualification is his loyalty to Donald Trump. It is Mr. Trump’s intention to politicize and weaponized the Department of Justice, thus undermining the Rule of Law and our Constitutional democracy.

Mr. Trump’s other nominees, Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense, Tulsi Gabbard for Director of National Intelligence and Robert Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services also have no experience and no expertise of those departments.

Replacing knowledgeable experts with complete novices and worse, political sycophants undermines the effectiveness of those agencies and puts the national security in jeopardy as well as the health and welfare of the nation.

In fact, this is a recipe for failure. But that was a campaign promise of Mr. Trump; to destroy the deep state.  Even though that “deep state” was developed to keep Americans safe, healthy and prosperous.

Undermining the rule of law, our Constitutional Democracy, the security of the nation and health and welfare of the United States is the goal of Mr. Trump’s administration.

William Fine

Brockport

Cecily Guzzetta Molak

Honeoye Falls

Editor:

I am writing on behalf of the Orleans County Deputy Sheriff’s Association, representing the dedicated men and women of the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office Road Patrol and Criminal Investigations Division.

First, I want to acknowledge the excellent work of the Village of Albion Police Department (APD) in serving the Village of Albion. Our agencies share a strong working relationship that benefits both the Village and Town of Albion.

However, we have learned that APD is seeking to expand its patrols into the Town of Albion, primarily to focus on violations of the Vehicle and Traffic violations and “low level” offenses. The Orleans County Deputy Sheriff’s Association formally opposes this proposal.

We understand that APD’s justification includes frequent assistance with calls outside the Village. However, the data between January 1, 2024, and November 14, 2024, shows that OCSO assisted APD in the Village 117 times, while APD assisted OCSO or NYSP in the Town of Albion 39 times. During this period, OCSO handled 1,767 calls in the Town of Albion as the primary agency.

We believe that an excessive number of patrols focused primarily on traffic violations could frustrate town and village residents, harming the public relations we have worked hard to build. Additionally, APD has indicated that this would be a trial program. Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that it could lead to additional costs for our residents if it becomes a permanent measure. The APD would need to issue an unreasonably high number of tickets to sustain this initiative.

Given the central location of the Public Safety Building, the Town of Albion benefits from the fastest response times from our deputies, compared to other towns. Based on the data, and totality of the circumstances, we believe OCSO should remain the primary agency for all calls in the Town of Albion.

We are proud to serve all residents of Orleans County and see no reason to change the current arrangement.

The goal of law enforcement is to maintain a safe community, which the Sheriff’s Office has successfully achieved and continues to uphold.

Thank you for your time.

Respectfully,

Torry N. Tooley

President, Orleans County Deputy Sheriff’s Association

Editor:

In a letter to the editor on November 11, a gentleman from Knowlesville stated  the legal charges against Trump were completely fabricated stories including their favorite lies about Trump.

Perhaps he has forgotten the: (1) rape conviction in NY City, (2) the allegations of rape by 23 women, (3) his conviction in NY City on 32 counts of fraud, (4) the trial in Washington DC on his effort to overthrow in the 2020 election, (5) the state charges in Georgia on his effort to unlawfully influence the 2020 election results, and (6) the Federal charges in Florida on his illegally keeping Top Secret US documents.

MAGA people appear to wish the above facts would go away. They will not. Our legal system is not based on hopes and wishes, but facts and the truth.

Jack Capurso

Albion High School, Class of 1960

Ashburn, Va.

Editor:

I read with interest the recent Letter to the Editor wherein The Author referenced the former President’s 2024 victory as being “elected (by a landslide).”

The term “landslide” has several connotations; one being a mass wasting, rockfall or mudflow which is a geologic event and can be tragically devastating to life and property.

However, in this case The Author was referencing a political victory which is one whereby the winning candidate achieves a decisive victory by a large margin. Some might say that this type of landslide could also be “tragically devastating to life and property.”

A classic example is when President James Monroe defeated John Quincy Adams, as he received 78% of the popular vote in the Presidential Election of 1820. Certainly, this was a “landslide” victory.

Remarkable as that was, American historians have identified 10 Presidential “landslide” elections; the most significantly noted was the election of George Washington in 1788-1789 and 1792. As we all know he was victorious in both cases and received 100% of the votes in both elections.

You may not want to be too impressed by this as he ran unopposed. In the research notes it states that he received 43,782 popular votes out of the 43,782 which were cast by the voters. Given today’s political climate, a very envious political achievement! And, to the best of my knowledge, not a single person challenged that outcome.

In more modern times, modern being a relative term of course, Richard Nixon defeated George McGovern in 1972 and received 61% of the popular vote. And in 1984 Ronald Reagan opposed Walter Mondale and received 59% of the popular vote. Both elections are included in the historian’s election analysis which I referenced earlier; President Nixon’s was the sixth largest landslide victory and President Reagan’s was fifth.

As of Thursday morning, the popular vote for the 2024 Presidential Election stands at 50.2% for the former President and 48.1% for Vice President Harris; that margin is 2.1%. Given the precedents previously discussed regarding historically verified “landslide” victories, I truly doubt that history will ever record this election as a landslide.

Thank God, facts and the truth still matter to some!

Doug Miller

Albion

Editor:

In the aftermath of any election before a new Administration starts, all that can be said is some of the new President’s  supporters will be pleased with some things and displeased or surprised by others. We will have to see what positions he was serious about and which versions he proposes.

Historically adherence to the Rule of Law and Constitutional Order leaves open honest discussion on grave matters.

These elections proved that elections were, and always have been, well conducted and accurately counted. On this, this time, all have agreed and accepted the Rule of Law and  Constitutional Order. So will discussion be permitted or will we find ourselves in a maze of one-way streets?

Should we be encouraged that we no longer have a big Bull elephant in the room which distracted and divided us? That elections were rigged.

The baseless election integrity ploy (which was resulted in so many convictions, disbarments, and several more still pending state fake electors cases) was there, in part, to keep us from trusting and listening to one another. Will we talk like adults now?

At least the vote and soon the certification process have started out well as they should in any real democracy.

Conrad F. Cropsey

Albion

Editor:

Thank God for saving us from the campaign of evil hatred led by Kamala Harris. She and her evil friends were sent packing by Common Sense Americans who believe in Jesus and his teachings.

Her campaign was based on the Democrats’ pure and undeniable hatred of Donald Trump, while his campaign was based on patriotism and love of our country.

The entire campaign of lies began in 2016 with Hillary Clinton’s infamous Russian Collusion lie followed by completely fabricated stories including their favorite lies about the President of the United State on Jan 6. And they are already writing stories for 2028.

Kamala was counting on the gullible voters who will believe any lie about our duly elected (by a landslide) President.

Thank goodness for Trump and the Republicans, the party of common sense.

God Bless Donald Trump and the newly defined USA!

James Anderson

Knowlesville

Editor:

On Saturday morning I watched President-elect Trump inform us about his gender reassignment legislation.

In my opinion, Trump will send millions back into the closet. The debate surrounding gender reassignment surgery for minors, particularly in Republican-led states, highlights the tension between parental rights and the autonomy of young individuals.

Under current laws in many areas, children under the age of 18 cannot undergo gender reassignment surgery without the explicit permission of their parents or guardians. As a health professional, children can’t get aspirin without permission from a parent.  This requirement reflects a broader conservative perspective that emphasizes parental control over healthcare decisions for minors, especially when it involves significant medical interventions like surgery or hormone treatments.

Moreover, this regulation echoes a general principle observed in pediatric medicine: minors are typically unable to give informed consent for medical procedures, including the administration of medications. Just as parents have the authority to make decisions about vaccines or other medical treatments, they are similarly positioned to make choices regarding gender transition therapies.

This framework is often justified by the belief that children may not possess the emotional or cognitive maturity to fully understand the lifelong changes of such a decision. Proponents of these laws argue that they protect children from making irreversible choices before they are fully prepared to comprehend the long-term consequences. So, my fellow Republicans, what are you going to tell your children? Because now how you sexually identify is a crime.

So, how many teachers will be left after this starts going into effect? I’ll wait.

Sincerely yours,

Patricia Dunbar

Albion

Editor:

Allies of the Tonawanda Seneca Nation, staunch defenders against the STAMP project currently being built in Genesee County near Orleans on indigenous land, are asking community members to attend the 230th Anniversary Parade and Commemoration Ceremony of the Canandaigua Treaty being held Monday, Nov. 11 in Canandaigua.

This treaty, as detailed on their Instagram page @alliesoftsn, “upholds Haudenosaunee sovereignty by establishing a ‘firm and permanent friendship’ between the Haudenosaunee and the United States, and enshrines the right of the Haudenosaunee to the ‘free use and enjoyment’ of their lands.”

The back half of this quote is of most importance to this organization, as currently, the STAMP project is the antithesis of the sentiment.

The STAMP project is an ecological nightmare masquerading as an environmental and economic improvement to the area, as the construction, lacking many permits needed to complete the project, is still underway.

The lineup for the parade begins at 12:45 p.m. at the Canandaigua Elementary School Parking Lot. The address is 90 West Gibson Street, Canandaigua, NY.

The Commemoration Ceremony will be held at 2 p.m. in front of the Ontario County Courthouse, which is located at 27 N. Main Street, Canandaigua, NY.

The event is free and open to the public. Signs are encouraged.

If you are unable to attend, or otherwise want to get more involved with this initiative, information can be found on the Allies of the Tonawanda Seneca Nation website.

Devin Hogan

Buffalo, formerly of Medina